This happens to many people every year. Many of them deal with it and move on. For us with incurable diseases, it is a major issue. I now have to deal with it and I am scared. I am talking about changing doctors.
For years I didn’t have a General Practitioner (GP) and I was fine with that. I have been jumping around from doctor to doctor and that really hasn’t bothered me. I always had my GI I could talk to and help me work out any problems. With my insurance, I can see any specialist without a referral so I felt like I didn’t need a GP. My GI doctor is a whole other story. I have been seeing this one for about 6-7 years now and have built up a great relationship with him. If you read my blog you know some of the issues I have had and how caring my GI has been to them.
Yesterday I came home and saw a letter from Mt Sinai. I thought it was junk mail and wasn’t going to open it. Something made me though and I am glad I did. It was a letter saying my GI was leaving. I felt so scared all of a sudden. I don’t worry so much about finding a new one because there are a couple of GI’s with Mt Sinai I know of that are really good. What scares me is that I have to start over. I have to share my entire history. I have to work with a new thought pattern from the doctor. Worst of all, I have to hope the new GI will approve the LDN I am taking. That is what scares me the most.
I know in the long run, things will be fine. I know I really shouldn’t worry as much as I am, but I can’t help it. Going into something new like this always worries me. It is just who I am. Luckily, I have had some good support online from some great people. They are helping to reduce my stress.
What I would like to know, is how many of you have had to deal with this and how did it turn out? Did everything go smoothly? What are your thoughts on changing GI’s when you have a great one?
I do have to say, I will miss my GI a lot. Luckily he is actually moving closer to me. I just can’t get there and get to work in the same day. He won’t have weekend hours so I don’t think I will be able to see him anymore, hence I have to look for a new GI.
A Guy With Crohn's 
I understand what losing a good doctor feels like. They become family and they are the only ones who understand your pain, literally. I know transitioning is hard, but since your GI most have been awesome, he or she probably left specific notes for your case. I know everything will be OK in the because your in the hands of God.
I had to change GIs a few months ago… I was as scared as you are. I thought my GI was fantastic, and id been seeing him for 8/9 years…. When I met my new GI it was like I entered a whole other world of my health care. My new GI blows my old one out of the water and makes him seem subpar. I feel like for the first time I truly have a doctor 100% on my side and very eager to get me into remission.
I hope you have as much luck as I have had. Finding a new doctor is never fun or easy.
I recently found out that my surgeon (who gave me my ileostomy) is no longer practicing surgery and has moved onto bigger things. It absolutely saddens me; she saved my life.
But nothing lasts forever and even the most amazing things in our lives change, but we need to adapt and move forward.
I wish your luck with your next GI.
I had to find a new GP doctor. What I did was ask the nurses in the clinic about the doctors there and if they could recommend someone with a good bedside manner, that returned calls promptly etc. This was probably about 10 yrs ago. I am still with him, and he is the best doc ever! My healthcare is handled by him and my GI, and they work well together. Hugs!
I’ve had 3 good GI docs in my 22 year Crohn’s history. The first was a doc at UPenn in Philly, when we moved after a job transfer I had to say good-bye. Then I had a great doc in Newark who retired after probably the best 6 years of my Crohn’s life. It’s taken a few years, but I’ve finally found another from RWJ in New Brunswick who, for the past 18 months, has proven to be a great partner in this journey.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a sure-fire method to finding a good GI doc. After moving, it took two years before I found the next good doc. In the meantime, I ran through 3 or 4 others. Some were recommendations from my GP, others were recommendations from other Crohnies. After she retired, I tried staying with her partner for about 6 months – but he was everything we hate about doctors, in general. The current GI was actually brought in by another GI, who realized my case was beyond her comprehension (for which, I am forever thankful).
Good luck! I have seen the same GI who saved my life for 20+ years, a 6-hour round trip, and live in fear of the day he retires and I too will have to find someone new. I have already asked him for referrals in my area in case it happens sooner rather than later!
I have had the fears of changing GI doctors as well. From my experience, I can give you a little advice: don’t let yourself fall backwards or get worse in the meantime of settling in with a new doctor. I went to grad school out of state for a year and said I didn’t need a new doctor since I could come home over winter break and summer to see my regular doctor. Well, I was on 6mp and should have been taking blood tests regularly to monitor. I got worse and very very sick because my body was adversely reacting to the medicine. I kept putting it off saying that I would see my doc when I got home, but one week before going home (finals week of grad school, go figure) I ended up in the hospital with dangerously low blood counts. So… Do NOT let something like that happen to you! Find a new doctor ASAP and if you can’t immediately but need to be seen, then at least see a general practitioner in the meantime. Best of luck!
Did you find a new GI and how are things?
I did and I really like him. As soon as I have a couple of minutes I will be adding a post…keep an eye out for it 🙂